Storm drop A-R-C doubleheader to Spartans

DUBUQUE, Iowa – A pair of ninth-inning rallies fell short for the Simpson College baseball team which dropped both ends of its first American Rivers Conference doubleheader to Dubuque on Sunday. The Storm lost by two runs in each contest, falling 6-4 in game one and 11-9 in game two.

Senior Brady Held eclipsed 100 career hits in the opener. After a single to center in the third inning, the Indianola, Iowa product sent his milestone-hit over the fence - his first home run of the year. Held has registered a hit in all but two games this season and has at least one hit in each of the last nine contests.

Game 1: Dubuque 6, Simpson 4
The Storm (8-6, 0-3 A-R-C) used two home runs to take a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning. Brennen Lemke scored two with his second career long ball and Held gave the visitors a one-run lead with a solo shot to right center.

A pair of wild pitches cost the Storm two runs in the sixth and Dubuque (11-4, 3-0 A-R-C) stretched its lead to three with a two-run double in the seventh. In the ninth, Lemke drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a single from Matthew Marquez. Kaleb Bauer lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to make the score 6-4, but the comeback stalled.

Game 2: Dubuque 11, Simpson 9
A two-run homer from Chris Miller broke a 1-1 tie and RBI singles from Keaton DeKock and Ty Cowley gave the Storm a 7-3 advantage at the halfway point of the contest. The Spartans managed to cut the lead in half in the fourth, and things fell apart for Simpson in the sixth after an error extended the inning and Dubuque scored five runs on three doubles.

Simpson rallied once more in the ninth and was able to score two thanks to a single from Bennett Wadstrom and a bases-loaded walk. Shaun Logan was then brought in from the bullpen and immediately got the Spartans out of the jam as he forced a strikeout to secure the win.

Up Next
Simpson looks to get back on track on Tuesday in Lincoln against Nebraska Wesleyan. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.